Chillicothe Police are asking the public for help identifying a suspect in an ongoing theft investigation, with tips being funneled directly to one veteran officer rather than a general tip line. The department has not released details about what was stolen, when the theft occurred, or the value of the property involved.
The appeal came in a post published Wednesday morning by the Chillicothe Police Department on Facebook, which included photos meant to help the public recognize the person investigators are trying to identify. Anyone with information is asked to email [email protected] or call 740-773-1191 and ask for Officer Shipley, according to the post.
Officer Matthew Shipley, listed as the point of contact for the investigation, is a veteran of the Chillicothe Police Department who has also served as a K-9 handler paired with K-9 Roo, according to the Chillicothe Police Department. The department operates out of a public safety complex it shares with the Ross County Sheriff's Office at 28 North Paint Street, staffing roughly 47 sworn officers for a city of nearly 22,000 residents, per the department and Discover Policing.
Why Theft Cases Dominate Chillicothe's Police Blotter
Public appeals like this one are common in Chillicothe, where property crime vastly outpaces violent crime. Residents face roughly a 1-in-23 chance of becoming a property crime victim compared to a 1-in-562 chance for violent crime, based on 2024 NeighborhoodScout data cited by the Scioto Valley Guardian. The outlet also reported that over a single 30-day stretch in spring 2024, the department logged more than 50 theft offenses across Ross County.
That volume has continued into this summer. Just weeks ago, on July 6, the department fielded five separate theft complaints in a single day, with reports coming from Columbus Street, High Street, and Water Street, according to the Scioto Post. The paper's police log summaries also flagged the North Bridge Street commercial corridor, home to major retail centers and gas stations, as a recurring hotspot for theft complaints and traffic investigations through June.
What Charges Could Follow, Depending on the Value
Because the department has not disclosed what was stolen or its value, it's unclear what charges a suspect might ultimately face if identified. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 2913.02, theft of property valued under $1,000 is a first-degree misdemeanor carrying up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, according to attorney Edward R. La Rue.
If the value falls between $1,000 and $7,500, or if the stolen items include credit cards or motor vehicle plates regardless of value, the offense escalates to a fifth-degree felony punishable by six to 12 months in prison and fines up to $2,500, per the Youngstown Criminal Law Group and Ohio Revised Code Section 2913.71. Statewide, larceny and property theft ranked among Ohio's most commonly reported crimes in 2022, with 65,549 reported incidents, the Scioto Valley Guardian reported citing Bureau of Justice Statistics data.
Chillicothe sits roughly 45 miles south of Columbus along the Scioto River and serves as the county seat of Ross County, functioning as the retail and service hub for surrounding southern Ohio communities, according to the Warren Law Firm. That regional role means public appeals like this one for suspect identification often reach well beyond city limits, drawing potential tips from across Ross County and neighboring areas.
The theft investigation comes just a day after the department promoted its own community outreach, golf fundraiser for at-risk kids, and follows a string of recent local police activity, including a June search warrant raid on Hirn Street that netted fentanyl, meth, and guns. Anyone with information on the current theft investigation is urged to contact Officer Shipley by email or phone.
